In Sickness and In Health
by MissPopuri
Summary: Derek is forced to look after Casey when she is sick.


A/N: Okay, this is supposed to be for a challenge set up by TheBlueCrystalRose.

In Sickness and In Health

Dasey OneShot

Today was not a good day from the very beginning. Casey McDonald opened her eyes and instantly regretted doing it. The light that came into her room was blinding. She felt too weak to cover up her face with her hand. Her body felt warm and cold at the same time. She thought she was going to throw up so she tried to pick herself up and head for the bathroom. Sitting up by yourself when you feel like crap is hard, Casey found standing up by herself to be even more nauseating. She grabbed a hold of nightstand to steady her so she could make it to her door. Such a short distance seems so far away when you are sick.

Casey feebly made her way into the hallway to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the door was closed. She weakly lifting up her hand, turning it into a fist, and leans in to knock on the door. Her eyes were not opened all the way, so she didn't realize that the door was being opened before her hand missed where the door should have been and finding Derek coming out of the bathroom. Derek eyed Casey curiously, "You don't look so good, Case, are you feeling alright?"

"I have no time for games, Derek, I think I'm going to be sick," Casey mumbled, trying to get around Derek but his body was blocking her way to the door.

Derek held up a hand to her forehead. "You should go back to bed, Casey, you're burning up."

"Pfft," Casey muttered, "let me pass, Derek," trying to push him out of her way, but she was too weak to do anything.

Derek grabs Casey by her arms gently and starts turning her around to take her back to her room. Casey was trying to fight him off of her, but she couldn't pull away from the strength he was using to keep her going in the opposite direction from where she wanted to go. "Derek, let me go or so help me I will..." She wasn't able to finish that sentence though because she yakked all over Derek causing him to say 'Ugh!' He thought quickly and picked her up, setting her down besides the toilet to finish what she started. Casey had thrown up mostly on Derek, but the smell of the toilet brought on a fresh wave of nausea that she couldn't keep down. She didn't like throwing up. It was never something she wanted to do again. The last time she threw up, she was at school and just got her lunch from the cafeteria. She remembered that day perfectly because she so wanted to eat the green gelatin that they served for dessert. It was St. Patrick's Day as a matter of fact. This was nothing like throwing up on jello. Derek saw that she was done yakking and picked her back up to take her back to her room. Laying her down on her bed, he abruptly left. Casey's stomach felt empty but not hungry.

Nora and George walked into Casey's room to check on her.

"We heard someone threw up, was that you, Casey?" Nora asked. She got her answer when she saw the paleness of Casey's face. She went to go get a thermometer.

"Do you want me to get you anything, Casey?" George asked.

"I would like an ice pack for my head."

"Coming right up, Casey." George left Casey's room to get the ice pack. Nora came back into the room with the thermometer.

"Stick this under your tongue real good, sweetie," Nora instructed. Casey did as she was told. She was staring at the ceiling waiting for the beep to go off. When it finally did, Nora's eyes bugged out when she read the number. "Oh dear, you really are burning up. 104.5 degrees is very hot."

Casey coughed and sputtered. "I feel horrible, mom. What could be wrong with me?"

"I don't know, sweetie, your voice sounds different so it might be strep throat or bronchitis or even mono."

"Why would I have mono, mom? That's the 'kissing disease'."

"You can also get it by swapping spit like drinking from a water fountain after someone put their mouth on the spout, sharing a water bottle, or eating off of someone else's spoon."

"I haven't eaten off of anyone's spoon, that's sick."

Nora shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't going to start an argument with her daughter. Casey did eat off someone's spoon the other day without realizing. It happened to be the day Derek had an early morning hockey practice and was late so he couldn't finish the cereal he made. Nora was in a hurry that day too so she couldn't clean up his mess, and she was about to say something to Casey about the food but forgot about it. She looked distracted by something that day too.

**MEANWHILE**

George is downstairs in the kitchen talking to Derek.

"You have to look after Casey today."

"What? Why?"

"She's sick, and she needs someone to tend to her needs. Nora and I are leaving after breakfast is over to have another honeymoon at the bed and breakfast we went to last time. I hope I can trust you to look after Casey, and I don't want to find the house in a shambles when I get back."

"Dad, you and Nora are expecting a baby. Why do you need another honeymoon when you obviously didn't need one to conceive another child?"

"Are you going to help me out or not, Derek?"

"What if I had plans with someone today?"

"Then you would just have to cancel them now, wouldn't you? Casey needs you, and you are going to be a big brother again."

"You can't guilt trip me, dad."

"I was requesting that you take responsibility in looking after your sister, but I guess I have to threaten to make you pay for your own college textbooks to get you to cooperate."

"Casey is not my sister. Why should I be the one to look after her? Go ask Lizzie or Edwin to do it."

"I stand by that threat, Derek."

Derek groans. "FINE! I'll do it but don't expect me to be willing to do anything else anytime soon."

"That is all I ask, Derek. Give up this weekend for me, and you can do whatever you want every weekend afterward."

"Don't mention it. What do you want me to do?"

"Take this ice pack up to Casey's room. This should help her fever." George handed Derek the ice pack he made. He grabbed the pack and slowly headed toward the stairs, making his way to Casey's room.

Nora was just leaving Casey's room when Derek came up the stairs with the ice pack. She smiled to herself. Her hubby actually got Derek to agree to hang out with Casey this weekend. It worked out even better that Casey is sick and won't complain so much when she is forced to be with him. Derek noticed Nora's smile but wasn't sure what to think of it. She had her suspicions about Derek and Casey for a while now. The suspicions had become even more prevalent when she found out she was pregnant. It was weird how her baby seemed to sense tension between the two eldest children.

Derek cautiously opened up Casey's door, sticking his head inside. He was half expecting her to yell at him for opening up her door without knocking first, but she was just laying on her side curled up in her bed trying to sleep. Looking at Casey asleep in her bed, he thought how cute she looked when she was asleep. It would be a pity to wake her, he thought. Of course, he shook himself of the thought because he shouldn't be thinking how cute she is or even thinking for that matter. The shake he gave himself was enough to rattle the ice pack/bag of ice he was given by his dad. This woke up Casey. She was confused when she saw Derek standing by her bed staring at her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked groggily.

"The fam is forcing me to take care of you while you are laid up. I would like for you to keep this in the fam if you don't mind. If this got out, my reputation would be shot." He moves closer to her bed, turning her over onto her back, placing the ice pack on her head.

"You don't have to do this, Derek."

"This ice pack should help with your fever. I'll be downstairs watching ESPN, so don't bother asking for anything."

"Thanks for this, Derek, I really appreciate it." Casey looked really confused when Derek left again without another word. She was too tired to go after Derek for an explanation. She fell asleep again with the ice pack on her head.

Watching some mindless sports was very soothing to Derek. He couldn't leave the house because he was stuck convalescing Casey. The basketball game that was on the tv was okay. It wasn't the greatest sport in the world. That's hockey. Basketball also requires some deal of skill when it comes to playing it well. He was decent at basketball. He can definitely hold his own against Sam when he played one-on-one. Of course, watching basketball games makes him sleepy so he didn't notice when Casey slowly walked into the living room almost keeling over.

"Hey Derek!" Casey's soft voice shocked him from his light slumber.

"What are you doing out of bed, Case? You are supposed to be sleeping."

"I'm hungry, and I was lonely upstairs. I couldn't sleep very well. I need another ice pack." Casey held up the melted ice. Derek got up out of chair, grabbing Casey and putting her in his chair.

"Enjoy my chair while you're sick," Derek emphasizes, handing her the remote for the tv, "here you go."

Casey's eyes widened in shock. "Are you really letting me sit in your chair and control your remote?"

"Don't you dare think I will do this any other time."

"The fam isn't even here, Derek. Do you expect me to give them a good report on you when they get back home?"

"For someone who is sick, you sure talk a lot. What are you in the mood for: chicken noodle soup or applesauce?"

"Applesauce."

"Okay." Derek leaves to get Casey her applesauce.

Casey is sitting in Derek's chair getting comfy where Derek's butt had been residing not a minute before she occupied it. The chair was still warm, and it smelled like Derek. It felt weird being taken care of by Derek. She turns her attention to the tv. Ugh, it's basketball. I have to change that fast. Time to channel surf.

Casey is flipping through the channels, going from extreme disgust on the lack of tv sitcoms to utter horror at the total lack of morals shown on some of the shows being viewed in the afternoon. What kind of world do we live in where women are objectified by men? She wraps herself up tightly in her blanket, putting her hands underneath to keep them warm. Her left hand brushs against something that feels like a doll's hair. She pulls out a barbie doll whose skirt is slid up legs and the top would be a little too tight on a human girl with the same dimensions. This must be Derek's doll. Either that or Marti left it in between the cushions again. Before she could put the doll back where she found it, Derek comes back with a big bowl of applesauce in one hand and a bowl of popcorn in the other. He also had a soda can under his chin and a bottle of water under his arm. Handing the applesauce and the bottle of water to Casey, he took the soda and the popcorn over to the couch.

"What are you watching?"

"I'm watching Ice Princess."

"Do you mind if I get a couple of buckets?"

"You don't have to watch this with me."

"I would go watch something else, but there is only one tv in this house."

"So you will sit through a chick movie with me?"

"It isn't like the girls in this movie aren't totally hot. I would totally hit that Michelle Trachtenberg."

"Eww, Derek, that was disgusting."

"Why, thank you, Ice Princess, I try my hardest."

"It is almost as disgusting as what you obviously do with Marti's dolls."

"I don't do anything with Marti's dolls."

"What do you call this?" Casey holds up the barbie doll she fold in Derek's chair. Derek's face looks horrorified.

"Where did you get that?"

"It was in between the seat cushions, D. What would happen if I texted everyone I know that you still play with dolls?"

"It isn't like they would believe you anyway."

"They would if I took a picture." Casey smiled mischievously.

Derek's eyes got round. "You wouldn't dare."

"OH, I DARE, Der. I'm almost tempted to do right now." She attempts to get up from the chair to go get her cell phone, but her head got all woozy and fell back in chair. Derek notices this and comes over to her side, feeling her forehead.

"Are you okay?" He is examining her face and head for any bumps. She only fell into his chair after all, but she is still sick. Casey had cooled down a little bit after her temperature from the morning, but she felt extra warm again when Derek touched her skin. He was really close to her, breathing on her, as he felt her head for any bumps. Her stomach was acting up again, but she didn't feel like throwing up this time. It felt almost like butterflies. Derek looked her in the eyes to see if they were bloodshot. Casey felt flushed with the intense closeness. He held her face in his hands, whispering to her, "You look pale, Ice Princess. Why don't you go back to bed?"

Casey whispered back, "I'm not tired."

"I can carry you." Derek's voice barely got above a whisper. He scooped her up in his arms and took her upstairs. His heart was beating as he walked. He felt warm all over, holding her body against his own. He felt like she belonged to him and him alone. Making his way up the stairs to her room, he walked through her open door and set her gently down on her bed.

In the walk from the living room to her room, Casey fell asleep listening to Derek's heartbeat. Looking at Casey again, he knelt down and touched his fingertips to her face. Tracing a line around the curve of her face, he found his finger lingering on her lips. They looked so soft and red and sweet, he couldn't take his eyes off of them. Those lips tease him remorselessly day in and day out, but he longs for them all the same. He was only thinking of one thing at the moment, and he had to do this before he lost his nerve. Casey was laying in her bed like a Sleeping Beauty when Derek leaned in to kiss her. It wasn't a long kiss, but Casey and Derek both felt the electric shock that went through their systems as their lips touched. Casey's eyes were still closed, happily asleep. Derek got up from Casey's bed side and left the room.

Upon closing the door, Derek didn't notice Casey roll over onto the side closest to the door and smile.

**A/N: I don't know how well I like this. Oneshots are hard.**


End file.
